Talk:The Dark Secret (Book)/@comment-22769530-20130924002620/@comment-3463498-20130924002913
=Rants in Favor of the NightWings= Introduction I am very argumentative. I believe everyone who knows me knows this, but it is worth repeating. I do not believe whatsoever that the NightWings are evil, and have composed this essay to show people my side of the argument. First: Starflight #Starflight is one of the dragonets of destiny, and considers Glory, Tsunami, and Clay his siblings, with Sunny as his crush. He cares about them greatly. #His intelligence has been one of the dragonets' of destiny greatest assets. #He saved Clay's life in the river with his advice, found a way out of the SkyWing prison, found a way past the SeaWing prison, and has helped his team invaluably. #Starflight was reluctant to betray his friends, and hated being the only one saved from the SkyWing arena. He felt awful about being asked to pick Blister. #Despite him being a dragonet of destiny, he is still a NightWing, and has allegiance to them as well as to his friends. He didn't want to follow what Morrowseer told him to, but he didn't really have a choice. He only went to warn the NightWings because he didn't want to go to war with them. Second: Morrowseer #Morrowseer could have left Starflight to die, but instead saved him. And before you say "He didn't save the others!" keep in mind that might have started a war with the SkyWings. He didn't want to risk the casualties, so minimized risk vs reward, and knew that Clay and Tsunami would most likely survive. He didn't care about Glory, and Sunny was relatively safe. #He told Starflight to warn the other dragonets that they could be spotted from the air, so he was trying to protect them. He also brought Starflight's egg in the first place, which enabled them to find out about Clay's fireproofness, among many other things. #Morrowseer was unhappy about having to eliminate Starflight, citing that the NightWings don't usually kill of their own dragonets. Also, he said that the NightWings couldn't afford to lose any dragonets. #Morrowseer ordered Glory to be killed only because he thought she would mess with the prophecy and the NightWing survival plan. This was also the reason he ordered Webs killed, and let Kestrel die. That's coldhearted, but if it was for peace, I think it would be worth it. Obviously, this is a matter of opinion. #Morrowseer saved thousands, and maybe even MILLIONS of lives (including Tsunami's) by making the prophecy. How many other dragons can claim saving millions of lives? Five (the dragonets of destiny). This has to count for something, at least. What I draw from these facts is that Morrowseer is indeed good, or at least neutral. He is just very chaotic good, in that he doesn't care who he has to kill to achieve his good ends. Try to empathize. If the NightWing species is going extinct, and Morrowseer thinks that this is the only way to save them and Pyrrhia, why shouldn't he support Blister and kill anyone who is a threat to world peace? Have you ever felt your species going extinct? Then don't be so quick to judge people. Third: NightWing species #We now know that Morrowseer did not kill Starflight, so he isn't obeying Blister. The only sensible reason for this is that Starflight is needed. #The NightWings kidnapped the RainWings for experimentation, presumably to use their venom as a weapon. This using of other dragons is exactly what Coral did with Anemone, and there was hardly any controversy over this. #The NightWings wrote the prophecy. What if, in order for it to come true, they have to kill Blaze and Burn? This would prevent more deaths in the long run. Taking into account the fact that they have killed before (let's give a high estimate and say 50 times), along with the fact the prophecy would save thousands of lives, we are looking at a mathematical expressions: over 2000 -- 50 deaths=high net gain of life. #Looking at that equation, we are forced to conclude that they are indeed saving lives, and if you think the ends justify the means, then they are the good guys. #The NightWings are in big trouble. Really big. Morrowseer said they couldn't afford to lose any of their own, only reluctantly agreed to kill Starflight- and then didn't. In the preview of Book 4, Starflight was still alive. And judging from hints dropped throughout the book, they may well be going extinct. When a species is almost wiped out, they can't always afford to be nice- what if, hearing they were weakened, Burn decided to exterminate them for fun? Basically, while they are seriously ruthless, it is still far to soon to call them evil. Fourth: NightWing species part 2 The NightWings have the best reason to fight. Even more so than the SandWings, who actually end up having the queen. The SeaWings fight because Blister wants them to, the SkyWings and MudWings fight because they are violent, and the IceWings fight because they want land from the SandWings. The RainWings don't fight at all, because they are lazy and peaceful. The NightWings are facing extinction, and Blister has promised whatever it is they need to survive. They have to get it, but they also want to reduce casualties. Because of this, they also are helping the Talons so that they survive without having to kill too many dragons. Before you talk about the IceWing prisoners, those two tribes have a huge amount of hatred for each other. It can't be felt by pretty much anyone anymore, because we are taught to accept other cultures, but imagine being raised your whole life to hate a group, being taught they warred with your ancestors and that they are your enemies, not by deed or opinion, but because of who they are. Call it racist if you want, but both sides feel the same way. I'm almost certain if that had been an IceWing army and NightWing prisoners, the IceWings would have done the same thing. *Morrowseer said they couldn't afford to lose any NightWings, even peculiar little ones *Morrowseer didn't kill Starflight, even after telling Blister he would *There were a lot less NightWings in the Night Kingdom than in other kingdoms And as to why they can't go to their other place, the NightWings' food was decaying! Something very strange is wrong with them, and Blister said they'd get what they needed if they helped her. They are not torturing RainWings, at least not intentionally. They are merely analyzing them, and any harm is unintentional. They most likely don't know about RainWings photosynthesizing, so they think RainWings just act like that naturally. They need the venom to prepare for some fight or other. I think they are getting ready to attack Burn, but that is just my hypothesis. In fact, as above, the order of the death of Starflight appears to have been disobeyed by one who sent it. And they might need to go to violent lengths, to reduce death in the long run. By the way, two wrongs do make a right: -2*-2=4. They kidnapped the RainWings, yes, but didn't mean to hurt them, as far as we know. They wanted them unharmed as test subjects. I think what the NightWings need is some kind of resource. If it were food, they'd just take it from the rainforest. Something else is going on. My hypothesis, although there is no evidence for it yet, is that they are under some kind of magical problem (telepathy burning out their minds, animus curse) and that Blister will get them the cure in return for making her queen. In conclusion, the NightWings are better, as they fight to survive. Fifth: Abstract Philosophy #I don't believe it is possible for a species to be evil, except in another one's opinion. An antelope would call a lion evil, the lion would call the same actions the way of life. It my be possible for an individual to be evil, but a species's goal is to survive, and that is not evil. #A species in desperation is desperate. The line between desperate and evil is near impossible to see. Desperate is defined as "reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency." One who is desperate will often do the same things as one who is evil- for completely different reasons. #In my opinion, the needs of the few must be sacrificed for the needs of the many. A few hunters are being put out of business to save endangered animals like elephants. By sacrificing a few, you save many. #Evil itself is a fallacious concept. Let's look at an example. A lion eats and kills an antelope. The antelope's family considers this monstrous and evil, as one of their own has been killed. The lion's family considers this kind and good, as the lion has food for them. Opinions are equally valid, therefore they are both right. But good and evil are opposites, they cannot be true at the same time. The only resolution to this paradox is that the concepts themselves are impossible- that good and evil do not exist. Conclusion I have more to say, but I have yet to put it into words. Agree with me or disagree, but now you have seen my side. Thank you for reading.